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User blog:Gcapp1959/Degrassi 1.0.1 - segment twelve (provisionally numbered)
Provisionally numbered segment March 1991 Tuesday morning, Voula was sitting at her desk in her first period of the day, English class. “I missed you yesterday,” Heather said, coming by to her desk immediately in front of Voula’s. “Happy birthday. Say, did you know Hamid Bhandari’s got a new baby cousin? Born on Monday morning... been named Savtaj.” “Thank you,” Voula replied. “Hey, Hamid, congratulations on your new cousin.” “Thanks, Voula,” Hamid nodded. “It’s my uncle and aunt’s first child.” “Anything special hap– hey, what’s this?!” Heather asked of Voula, noticing a gleaming object on Voula’s finger. “Hey,” commented L.D. “That looks like an engagement ring.” “It is, isn’t it?!” Heather insisted. “Well, y–” “Did Geoff actually propose to you, Voula?!” demanded Heather. The statement caught the attention of others nearby and they began to get up and approach Voula. “He did... on Sunday!” Voula beamed. “You’re engaged... you and Geoff?!” Spike inquired. “We are,” Voula affirmed. “When’s the date?! Don’t tell me it’s going to happen that soon!” Heather commented. “No, not too soon,” Voula replied. “We figure... four to six years from now. Definitely once we’re done high school, and probably during or after our time in college.” “That’s such a long time, isn’t it?” L.D. wondered. “Will you both want to wait that long and not... wonder?” “That’s why we went and got rings, L.D. Token of our promise.” Voula showed her hand again. “In Greek tradition, we wear the engagement ring on our left hand, and at the wedding, we transfer it to the right. Geoff and I and our families agreed to a few modifications, a blend. “Geoff’s wearing his ring on the right hand, and on our wedding day, at the beginning of the ceremony, we’ll transfer this ring to my right hand, Geoff’s to his left hand, and toward the end of the ceremony, he’ll put a wedding ring on my right hand as well and I’ll put a wedding ring on his left hand as well.” “How else are you going to do the wedding?” L.D. asked. “There’s a lot of things. But we have a few years to work all those details out. It’s going to be a blend of both Greek and Canadian traditions.” “Well... I’m really happy for you, Voula,” Spike told her. “Geoff’s a really great fellow. And quite a gentleman, I say.” “Who’s a gentleman?” demanded Alexa Pappadopolos. Having arrived in the classroom, she had wound her way through the cluster. “Geoff Capp,” L.D. replied. “In the opinion of Spike, and no doubt agreed upon by Geoff’s fiancee.” “Fiancee?!” Alexa exclaimed. Geoff and Voula had a common home room and science class, and met at the door of a lab classroom. Heather and Erica were also in this class, and Erica came walking up as Geoff, Voula and Heather reached the door. “Oh, good,” Erica remarked, seeing her twin sister with the rumour couple of the day. “Let’s get this settled once and for all.” “Get what settled?” Heather asked. “Oh, this silly story going around about an engagement. Between...” Erica giggled. “Voula and Geoff!” Voula and Geoff held up their ringed hands, fingers crossed, and let the rings gleam in the light. Erica stared agog, as the other three entered the classroom. “They are?! It’s true?!” “What’s true, Erica?” demanded Alexa as Simon joined her. “Voula and Geoff are engaged?” Erica said. “Yeah, it’s true,” Alexa replied. “Hard to believe, huh?” “Geoff?” Simon Dexter exclaimed. “Geoff and Voula? I knew they were a steady couple, but...” They joined the stream entering the lab. From the mix of students in the science class, the word began to spread more generally, and during lunch, the word got out to anyone who was at all interested. Tuesday also represented the first day that week for phys-ed, and it was health class that week. Owing to the theme, boys’ and girls’ classes of the same grade were joined, and all met in one of the larger classrooms. “Good afternoon,” announced Ms. Beville, the girls’ phys-ed teacher as she walked in with Mr. Horton, the boys’. “There’s a specific reason that we’ve paired up the classes today... and it isn’t for sex education.” She and Mr. Horton set out their materials. “Admittedly, it may seem to be a long way off for most of you, but there are things that you should think about when you are socializing at this time in your life. And that is the sort of relationship you’re going to have as an adult. Twenty, even ten years ago, the word would be... marriage. But things are changing, and they’ll doubtless change even more by the time you finish any post-secondary education that you’re planning. Already, some of you may have parents who live in a common-law relationship or have no formalized tie of any kind. Known sometimes as... living together. “So this week and on Monday, we’re going to be looking at the sorts of things you should expect as legal obligations for each type of relationship, and legal limitations, as well. We’ll be looking at the sorts of things you’ll want to consider when you and your intended discuss a pre-nuptial agreement. We’ll consider your responsibilities in the modern day view of marriage as a 50-50 arrangement. “And we’ll also be looking at the question of same-sex relationships, which of course at this time do not even enjoy common-law recognition, though there are cases before various courts across Canada that are trying to secure equality for them.” She nodded to Mr. Horton. “To get started,” he said, “we need you to pair up. You’ll be doing a considerable part of this study within your pairs and trying to recreate a realistic situation of two people competing for their own interests in a relationship.” Geoff and Voula exchanged glances. Competing for their own interests? It sounded rather selfish to them. “I have here the lists of all 46 class members,” Mr. Horton went on. “What I’m going to do is go down the lists, alternating between them, giving you the chance to name your partner. One little hitch... we have 22 boys and 24 girls. So there are two options. Those two girls could simply assist each other with in-class work, but be paired up with another class where we have two extra boys, for out-of-class work. Or you can simply form a same-sex couple and that’s okay for any of you here, since we do want to explore that aspect and discuss how same-sex couples suffer a serious inferiority in legal treatment. So, pairing. We’ll start with a girl... Pamela Ainsley?” “Brian Herley,” Pamela replied. She and Brian were steady daters. “Okay,” Mr. Horton said as he penned in Brian’s name next to Pamela’s on the girls’ list and hers next to Brian’s on the boys’ list. “Steven Bauer?” “Voula Gri... Gri...” “Grivogiannis,” Ms. Beville finished for him. “If she’s your friend, shouldn’t you know how to say her name?!” Steven just gave a rueful shrug. “Okay–” “Excuse me, Mr. Horton,” Voula said. “I’d rather be paired with Geoffrey Capp.” “This is just an exercise, Voula,” Mr. Horton explained. “It’s not permanent or anything!” “I just think it would be inappropriate,” Voula replied. “I would much rather be paired with Geoff.” There were chuckles around the room. “Voula,” Ms. Beville reprimanded her, “as Mr. Horton said, this is just an exercise. There’s nothing inappropriate about it.” “In this case there is,” Voula replied. “If this is in order to help us plan for our adult relationship, why not let Geoff and me put it to good use by planning that future relationship in a very realistic way right here? It would save a little bit of time for us and allow us to detect things that we need to give more time and thought to.” “That’s all very well, Voula,” Ms. Beville acknowledged. “But you can just as easily do that with Steven, and still have notes that you can use in the future when you do find the person you want your adult relationship with.” “Ms. Beville, it’s pointless to do it with Steven. I’m already engaged to Geoff. He is my future husband. So you would be helping us to maximize this learning cycle, this week’s work, by allowing me to pair with Geoff.” “Engaged?” Ms. Beville said with a smirk. “Already? Voula, this is no time for that kind of joke.” “It’s not a joke,” Geoff said, speaking up. “If you don’t believe us, then call down to the office, have them look up our student files and call our parents at their workplaces or Voula’s mother at her home number. They’ll verify it. We are engaged.” “Why don’t you just tell us the numbers to call?” Mr. Horton asked. “Then you could claim that we have co-conspirators waiting to answer those numbers and give you the answer we want you to hear,” Geoff pointed out. “No. The school has our numbers on record. Have the office call them and verify it, since you don’t believe us.” Mr. Horton and Ms. Beville looked at each other. He shrugged and penned in Geoff’s and Voula’s names next to the other’s on each list. “Okay, Steven, pick someone else.” Nobody picked a same-sex pairing, until the two girls were left, and they decided to work together, taking the challenge of trying to see a relationship from a male perspective as well. Geoff and Voula challenged the pre-nuptial concept as a “bail-out” option by people who weren’t willing to commit themselves fully to making the marriage work. It did not compel the couple to work at solving the problem. They also challenged the 50-50 concept. “If you don’t see marriage as 50-50, Geoff,” Ms. Beville asked, “what do you see it as? Another of your religious notions where the man is totally in charge? He has 100 percent of the authority and none of the work, while she has 100 percent of the work and none of the authority?!” “Ms. Beville,” Geoff replied, “I see marriage as 100-100, not 50-50.” “Geoffrey,” she admonished, “I must check into your math marks, because the last time I checked, 100 plus 100 equals 200.” “Indeed, and that’s the whole idea.” “What do you mean?” “You’ve both pointed out that nobody’s perfect. That was one of your reasons for pushing the pre-nuptial agreement. That if someone fails to do what they’re expected to, the pre-nuptial agreement would guarantee the other person what he or she is entitled to. So, if you’re going to put two imperfect people into a 50-50 marriage, what are you going to end up with after the imperfections show up? 40-40? 38-33? 23-19? And it could end up, with the bad feelings and mood, as zero-zero. If both husband and wife expect... if husband expects 100 percent from himself and wife expects 100 percent from herself, then they’ll give their all to the marriage. “With 50-50, think of what it means. One person says, ‘there, I’ve done my 50 and now I’m stopping. I expect my spouse to finish the other 50.’ Who’s the referee who rules on whether that person really reached 50 or fell short? What happens with all that’s not been done by either person? “If both expect 100 from themselves, then they’re more likely to get everything covered, and even discover themselves working together to get some things done, even making the pleasant discovery that the other got to it first. It just... nourishes the relationship. Keeps the good will.” “Well, that’s a nice theory,” Ms. Beville said. “But real people aren’t like that. Real people expect only to do their fair share and for the other person to do his or her fair share.” “Well, think what you will, Ms. Beville,” Voula threw in, “but Geoff and I have adopted it as our formula.” “They’re mental!” Erica whispered to her partner, Josh. On Wednesday the following week, Voula and Geoff each turned in, to their respective teachers, a copy of their “marriage work book” that they’d written together, as their respective classes returned to gender-separated physical activity. The teachers gave them C on the reports, commenting negatively on the absence of a pre-nuptial agreement framework and on their emphasis on the advantage of a legal binding marriage. ** In late April, Voula was offered a copy of the answers for the upcoming science test in Mr. Webster’s class. She turned it down. Nobody offered a copy to Geoff, wisely enough. Voula mentioned it to Geoff. “Blab?” Geoff shook his head. “No. We’ll do our honest best, but I have a hunch the teacher will notice something odd about everyone who’s using the answers.” Mr. Webster did notice, and decided “everyone was doing so well” that he wrote a new test for those who were “up to the challenge”. “Geoff, Voula, evidently, the test as is was a challenge, and you need to study the current material more diligently. All others will be able to discover their extraordinary levels of knowledge! But I appreciate your best effort.” ** In September, Geoff and Voula similarly were not interested in paying Joey to enter the cafeteria naked. The good part for Joey was that he was not indebted to the two of them. ** (In '''quantum version 1.0.0', in 1992, right after Lucy Fernandez won the presidency of the student council, Degrassi High was closed due to a problem of asbestos insulation. In quantum version 1.0.1, in a totally different school built in the 1950s and renovated in 1990, there is no such problem.)'' Geoff and Voula graduated in 1993. Geoff was registered to go on to Ryerson to study civil engineering, while Voula was on her way to college to study gastronomy, nutrition and management. They attended the graduation ceremony, of course, where Lucy was valedictorian, a special delight for Voula who had somehow kept Lucy steady for a while, and her parents finally began to realize their daughter was going to be grown up and they’d missed too much. After the ceremony, there were some private parties, and several of the Degrassi Junior gang were gathered at Lucy’s family’s house. Geoff and Voula went. They didn’t stay long, though. “Too darn much beer drinking,” Geoff remarked to Voula, sotto voce. “Besides the fact that it’s illegal for under-19s, and some of us are only 17!” “People’s exhibit number two,” Voula said. “'Tessa’s' guy Todd and his friends are smoking marijuana.” “Let’s go,” Geoff said. “I will say one thing. Lucy’s fairly consistent with her parties. Her guests do all the wild and crazy things, and she keeps her feet on the ground. I haven’t seen her touch a drop of beer all night, and she’s trying to keep things on an even keel.” Voula went to see Lucy, and let her know. Meanwhile, Hamid Bhandari came in the door. “Good evening, Hamid,” Geoff greeted him. “Hello, Geoff,” Hamid replied. “You just arrived, too?” “Actually just leaving.” “I’d’ve been here earlier, but we were over at my uncle and aunt’s place. They just announced the name of their daughter who was born yesterday. They’re calling her Alliah.” “They have a son, too, right? Sav? Two years old?” “That’s right.” Hamid was puzzled. “You’re leaving?” “Yeah. All the booze-drinking – they’re all under-age. And some guys are using marijuana. That’s not the kind of thing Voula and I want to countenance.” Hamid nodded. “In that case, I think I’ll make this mostly a courtesy call.” “Next time we graduate high school, maybe we’ll host our own party and keep that junk out of it!” Hamid laughed. “Yeah, the next time we graduate high school.” He stuck out his hand. “Good to know you, Geoff. Maybe we’ll cross paths again soon.” “I’d like that,” Geoff replied, shaking Hamid’s hand. Lucy and Voula came over to Geoff. “Thanks for coming anyway, guys,” Lucy said. “Oh, hi, Hamid. C’mon in and have fun.” “Hi, Lucy. Thank you,” Hamid acknowledged. “Voula, I’d really like to get together again tomorrow... maybe in the afternoon?” She looked around. “Maybe better make it the evening, unless you wanna help clean...” “Lucy, I’d be happy to come here early and help,” Voula said. “Considering the ideas I’m getting for a career, I think knowing how to clean efficiently is something I can learn.” “Still hope to be a caterer?” Lucy asked. “After some suitable... training,” Voula replied. “I’ll work in some restaurants, food prep, maybe for another caterer. Add that to what I’ll study in college. Watch for my business to start.” “Geoff, you, too, thanks for coming. Sorry it isn’t exactly what you like for partying... but... I understand. I’m glad you came for a bit anyway.” Her eyes flipped between them. “So... how you gonna spend the rest of the evening?!” “I hadn’t really thought of that,” Geoff remarked. “But we’ll think of something.” “Oh, yeah?!” “Oh, no, Lucy,” Voula declared. “You know us... we’re definitely waiting until we’re married!” “That’ll be when, now? Another couple of years?” “We’ve... talked about it,” Geoff said. “Us... and with our parents. Could be before we’re done college.” “Well, I look forward to the day,” Lucy said. At a tinkling sound of glass, she rolled her eyes. “Sorry, gotta run.” Geoff and Voula headed toward Geoff’s car, a seven-year-old sedan. “So... what should we do with ourselves?” Voula asked as they buckled up. Geoff clicked his buckle and sat, hands on the wheel. Then his eyebrows went up. “How about the Greek Corner?” “The restaurant? For dessert?!” “I ate light at dinner. I was expecting I might overdo it at this affair here. Besides, it’s 9:30. I think I’m getting hungry... I will be by 10:30... let’s go have second dinner!” Voula laughed. “Funny you should say that. I actually am feeling the beginning of hunger, too!” “You can take me on a tour of your homeland’s cuisine!” “A celebration dinner? I like that idea, but if it’s going to be a tour of my homeland’s cuisine, we need a place that serves Alberta beef, B.C. salmon, P.E.I. potatoes...” “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Geoff said quietly, leaning to Voula and touching her lips with his finger. “I mean Greece!” Voula smiled at Geoff and pulled his face close to hers. “Greece is where I was born, but Canada’s all I’ve ever known, Geoff. This is so much my homeland.” Geoff smiled back. “Then I declare that for Voula Grivogiannis and Geoffrey Capp, Greece is the eleventh province, and it’s the province I want to dine in, tonight!” “Would you like to visit it?” Voula asked. “Greece? I would.” “The Parthenon... the Acropolis... Mount Olympus... the fishing villages...” Voula sighed. “I want to see them, too.” “At the risk of spilling a surprise... how about a honeymoon there?” “That would be lovely, Geoff.” “I’d better make sure I save those drachmas, then.” Then they kissed, and a flash lit the car. Voula looked past Geoff to see Jeb Capler with his camera. “Jebediah,” she said, “the yearbook is already out! This shot won’t make it in, I guarantee it!” Voula always said Jeb’s full name so it wouldn’t be thought she meant Geoff. “Hey, I’m chronicling the grad parties!” Jeb said. “And haven’t you heard of desktop publishing? This’ll be the essential supplement for everyone with a 1993 edition of the yearbook!” “Okay!” Voula admitted. “Why you two leavin’ already? I nearly missed you! Good thing I was comin’ down the stairs and saw Lucy coming in!” “This kind of party... not our kind of thing,” Geoff said. “Boozing under age... drug use...” Geoff shook his head. “Voula and I are going out for dinner.” “At this hour?!” “We’re hungry!” Voula shrugged. “We ate light for dinner five hours ago, and now we’re hungry!” “Well, keep in touch, huh?!” Jeb said. He re-crossed the road back to the Fernandez house as Geoff started the engine. “The Greek Corner,” Geoff confirmed to Voula, putting the car in gear. He flipped on the turn signal, looked over his shoulder, and pulled out from the curb. At the restaurant, they were seated, and it seemed that the server mistook them for being older than they were, and as a married couple. “Would you like to see the wine list?” the server asked. “I don’t see why,” Geoff said with a grin. “For one thing, we’re under age. And for another, we’re celebrating our high school graduation! Wouldn’t want to ruin it by breaking the law!” “I see,” the server nodded. “But congratulations on your graduation. I’ll bring you menus.” “Thank you,” Geoff nodded. The server brought more than menus. He also brought carafes of orange and apple juice. “Compliments of the manager,” the server explained. “Please thank him for us,” Geoff asked. They were at the restaurant until nearly 11:30 p.m., enjoying a meal. They were sitting, enjoying the juice which had been refilled for them. “I hope things are still going okay at Lucy’s,” Voula said. “And the other home parties going on tonight.” “Yes. I’ll never understand why people think alcohol is the fuel to party on. Seems vastly overrated to me.” “I’ll probably give Lucy a call late in the morning to see if she’s up and around.” “Yep. I believe these parties that grads hold tend to run late into the night. Hm. Caitlin wasn’t there yet. She oughta be... she worked so hard to finish school a year early.” “Maybe she went to a party at someone else’s.” “Could’ve. But... I don’t know... our core crowd from junior high stuck pretty close together, even with different interests, different bunchings of close friends. Caitlin is definitely part of the crowd that’s there tonight. I even think Jeb Capler is part of it, even if he came from Queen A.” “I think Degrassi is something pretty special, Geoff. I think our junior high had a special spunk that’s the envy of the kids from Brown and Queen A.” “Thou shalt not envy,” Geoff remarked. “Just be welcome.” They chuckled, clanged their orange juice glasses together and sipped. “I still miss the place, Geoff. Junior high? It was kind of heartbreaking to see that place burn.” “I know what you mean. We put a part of ourselves into that place... artwork... sweat... carbon dioxide. No, seriously... it was special. I think they had the best teachers in the whole city, and I think the building had real character.” “It did. Geoff, if they’d said we have to... before the fire, mind you... we have to stay there for Grade 10, I wouldn’t have minded. Call me crazy, but that place just grew on me.” “That’d be one senior junior high!” “And Caitlin and Arthur and Yick and Melanie? Always juniors, never seniors! Never ruling the roost!” Geoff nodded. He raised his glass of juice again. “To Degrassi Junior High, best school we ever went to.” “To Degrassi Junior High,” Voula agreed. They clinked glasses and Geoff emptied his. “It’s late. The others are partying on, but I want to sleep. So, if I may, I would like to drive you home, and see you tomorrow.” “Thank you for dinner, Geoff. Hope you enjoyed the cuisine of the Province of Greece.” “That’s the Hellenic State, my love,” Geoff smiled. “Don’t forget, for us, it’s a province of Canada.” “You mean... ὁ Καναδἀς.” “What’s the difference?” Voula wondered. “Spelt in Greek letters!” Geoff got up as Voula grinned, and went around to pull out her chair as she got up. Geoff put her sweater around her and then fetched the tab, and they headed for the desk near the exit. “How did you enjoy your meal?” the server asked as he punched in the total. “It was wonderful, thank you,” Geoff nodded. “Thank you for being patient with us. We were really enjoying ourselves relaxing.” “It was a pleasure to have you here,” the server said. “Not many young people enjoy themselves the way you do.” “I know,” Geoff said, sighing. “I’d have thought you were much older,” the server said. “That’s a total of $23.93, please.” Geoff frowned a bit as he took out his debit card. “You sure you got everything on the tab?” “I did.” The server turned it around to face Geoff. “Your meal came to $12.10, and your lady friend’s to $11.83.” “What about the GST and PST?” “Well, sir, the manager’s discount is equal to them. It was discounted just enough so that when the tax is added, it comes to the total as if there was no tax.” “Manager’s discount?” “Yes. Debit?” Outside, Geoff escorted Voula to the car. “This place has banquet facilities, right?” “Yes. My father’s attended Greek community dinners and such here.” “Perhaps we should consider it when we book our wedding reception!” ** In early August, Geoff was driving home from his job at the drug store when his engine starting clicking like crazy and the motion of the car was stuttered. “Oh, no, what the dickens...” he muttered. Ahead, he saw a garage and he pulled in. “Can I help you?” an attendant asked. “Engine’s clicking like crazy... motion is stuttered.” “Hm. Could be spark plugs. I’ll have my mechanic come out and help you.” The attendant, who was actually the assistant manager, went inside. “Derek? Fellow outside with some engine trouble. Can you go take care of him?” ***** end of twelfth segment (provisionally numbered) ''copyrighted story elements from the DH episode (#13) “Testing One, Two, Three...”, “School’s Out!”, and the Degrassi TNG seventh and eighth seasons characters of Sav and Alli Bhandari. Category:Blog posts